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Stone : Topaz
Item : #c15
Hand Dug By : Doug Menadue
Design : Concave Oval Checkerboard
Origin : O'Briens Creek, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 4.3 carats each, Matched Pair
Clarity : Very Slightly Included / Eye Clean
Size : 9 x 11 x 6 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments :
An excellent matched pair of silvery topaz from O'Briens Creek. They should fix a standard sized setting without any problem.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #423
Design : Barion Old Mine (Bob Keller)
Origin : Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 30.7 carats
Clarity : Very Very Slightly Included
Size : 18 x 18 x 12.5 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments :
An awesome natural blue topaz from another location in Queensland that produces fine topaz. This gem is a beauty and has been cut in a design to really show off its size. Its big and its beautiful... A real stunner!
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #419
Design : Tangier (Jeff Graham)
Origin : O'Briens Creek, Mt Surprise, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 22.2 carats
Clarity : Very Very Slightly Included
Size : 15 x 15 x 13.5 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments :
A stunning natual blue topaz from O'Briens Creek. This magnificent gem has been cut in a "dome" style design and the dispersion out in the sunlight is incredible - fireworks and flashes like you wouldn't believe. Dome style cuts produce an amazing amount of dispersion and this one is truely dazzling.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #394
Design : Victoria Regent Cut (Doug Menadue)
Origin : O'Briens Creek, Mt Surprise, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 3.3 carats
Clarity : Very Very Slightly Included / Eye Clean
Size : 9 x 9 x 6 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments :
Here's a stunning little natural blue topaz from O'Briens Creek that is cut in my new "Victoria Regent Cut" design. I have long been looking for just the right square cushion cut and after many design attempts, this is one that I am very happy with. It has a similar pavilion to Fred Van Sant's "Victoria Cut" but I have made some modifications to it and "relaxed" the corners of the girdle some more. I have also altered the crown pattern and made it, I think, a bit more interesting. Overall I am very happy with the design and this gem is the first gemstone cut in this design... its number one. I have named the design to show the cut's "heritage". This is a very nice, bright gem with lots of action.
There is just a tiny little veil on the pavilion but otherwise it is eye clean. The inclusion does not detract at all from the overall appearance of the gemstone.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #349
Design : Fiorino (Marco Voltolini)
Origin : O'Briens Creek, Mt Surprise, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 37.9 carats
Clarity : Eye Clean
Size : 20 x 20 x 12 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : This is a big one! Its a very fine natural blue topaz that has been cut in the Fiorino design. This design has a "frosted" peony flower on the pavilion and I think the design would make an awesome pendant if you like to wear big stones. It will make a particularly fine collectors stone as it represents an eye clean, nicely coloured natural blue topaz from the O'Briens Creek diggings.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #395
Design : Supernova (Robert Long)
Origin : O'Briens Creek, Mt Surprise, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 10.3 carats
Clarity : Eye Clean
Size : 11.5 x 15 x 9 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments :
A totally awesome natural blue topaz from O'Briens Creek. This beauty is cut in one of my favorite ovals, the "Supernova". This oval cut only recently came to my attention and as soon as I cut it for the first time I fell in love with it. This stone is a fine gemstone and would look magnificent either as a ring or a pendant. An exceptional gemstone.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #386
Design : Asscher Cut
Origin : Brazil
Treatments : None
Weight : 4.9 carats
Clarity : Very Slightly Included
Size : 9 x 9 x 7.5 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments :
Here is a superb natural blue topaz facetted in the classic Asscher Cut design. The colour is excellent for a natural blue and is lovely and bright, this material works very well as an Asscher. There are several very fine silver needle inclusions in the gem but nothing that detracts from the overall appearance of the gem. It is an excellent Asscher and should fit a standard setting without any problems. A beautiful blue gemstone!
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #333
Design : Atlas (Jeff Graham)
Origin : O'Briens Creek, Mt Surprise, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 6.75 carats
Clarity : Eye Clean
Size : 9 x 13 x 8 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : A very nice natural blue topaz cut in an interesting and different style of design. I like the look of this gem and it has a good feel. I think it will make a good ring stone.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2010
Item : #215
Design : Flanders Brilliant
Origin : O'Briens Creek, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 4.15 carats
Clarity : Very Slightly Included
Size : 9 x 9 x 6.5 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : An exceptionally bright natural blue topaz from O'Briens Creek. There are several needles which are common inclusions in topaz.
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Stone : Electric Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #332
Design : Ten Main Oval (Robert Strickland)
Origin : Brazil
Treatments : Irradiated
Weight : 10 carats
Clarity : Eye Clean
Size : 12 x 15.5 x 8 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : Electric blue topaz is a very vivid gemstone. The colour is rich and lush and stands out across the room. This is a very nice oval design... it has a "smoother" profile around the girdle with a very nice flash and excellent performance. This gem would look stunning in any jewelry setting!
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Stone : Electric Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2010
Item : #249
Design : Emerald Cut
Origin : Brazil
Treatments : Irradiated
Weight : 12.8 carats
Clarity : Eye Clean
Size : 15 x 10 x 8 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : This spectacular gemstone is all about COLOUR! This is the blue that aquamarine wishes it could be... if this was an aquamarine then you would be paying a small fortune for it. The colour is rich and a very fine blue... in person it is truly devine. It catches the eye across the room and looks fantastic in the Emerald Cut (ie. Emerald Cut) design. As soon as I saw this piece of rough I knew it had to be cut in this design as this design is all about showing off the colour of a gem. This is an exceptionally fine gemstone!
SEE THE ORIGINAL ROUGH STONE HERE.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz (Matched Pair)
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #346
Design : Sunflare (Doug Menadue)
Origin : O'Briens Creek, Mt Surprise, North Queensland, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 3.7 carats each
Clarity : Very Slightly Included / Eye Clean
Size : 10 x 10 x 6 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : I really do love natural blue topaz! It is without doubt one of my favorite gemstones. This is a superb pair of nice bright natural blue topaz from O'Briens Creek. The design is my ultra bright Sunflare design and really looks quite stunning. These gems are a matched pair and would be ideal for earrings and will easily fit any standard setting. There is a very fine needle inclusion in one of the gem but it is very hard to see. A very fine pair of natural blue topaz gemstones!
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2010
Item : #177
Design : Smith Bar (Jeff Graham)
Origin : Brazil
Treatments : None
Weight : 6.4 carats
Clarity : VSI
Size : 8 x 13 x 6 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : This gem has a very lovely blue tone and is cut in the classic Smith Bar design. It has a very fine silvery needle but other then that is eye clean. It is a nice size as well.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #367
Design : Yin-Yang (Fred Van Sant)
Origin : Africa
Treatments : None
Weight : 4.9 carats
Clarity : Eye Clean
Size : 11 x 11 x 7 mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : One of my favourite designs in natural blue topaz is the Yin-Yang. It looks beautiful with its soft, graceful flowing fan-like patterns... it makes for a very unique gemstone. This one has been cut with a polished rounded/continuous girdle and should fit any standard setting without any problems. A beautiful gem with the classic light blue colouring. Superb!
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #357
Design : Trouble With Tribbles (J. Rowland / Robert W. Strickland)
Origin : Severn River, Stanthorpe, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 29.3 carats
Clarity : Eye Clean
Size : 20 x 20 x 12mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : This awesome and magnificent natural blue topaz was sent to me to be cut by a collector who dug the stone along the Severn River near Stanthorpe. This is another area (called the "Granite Belt") where beautiful topaz can be found. There were two large rough topaz pebbles sent to me, this one and #358 and they were just amazing to see. One day "natural blue topaz" will be "discovered" by people and the marketplace and they will scratch their heads and wonder why it had taken so long. This gem is superb and certainly a collector's gem.
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Stone : Natural Blue Topaz
Cut By : Doug Menadue, 2011
Item : #358
Design : Ten Main Oval (Robert Strickland)
Origin : Severn River, Stanthorpe, Australia
Treatments : None
Weight : 24.25 carats
Clarity : Very Very Slightly Included
Size : 16.5 x 21 x 11mm
Price : SOLD
Comments : Here is the second awesome and magnificent natural blue topaz that was sent to me to be cut by a collector who dug the stone along the Severn River near Stanthorpe. This is another area (called the "Granite Belt") where beautiful topaz can be found. This beauty is cut in my favorite oval design for large gems. This gem is superb and certainly a collector's gem.
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Stone : Topaz / Blue Topaz
Moh's Hardness : 8
Origin Locations : O'Briens' Creek, Mt Surprise, North Queensland, Australia; Oban, NSW, Australia; Africa; Minas Gerais, Brazil; Texas, USA; Russia; Afghanistan; Madagascar; Cornwall, England; and others.
Treatments : None to Various
Weight : Ranges from < 5 grams to 1KG+. Commonly found < 20 grams
Clarity : Eye Clean to Included
Color : Clear silvery white, natural blue, treated blues (eg. london blue, electric blue, swiss blue, sky blue), yellow, red-brown, red, pink-red, violet, green
Cleavage : Perfect
Chemical Composition : Al2[(F,OH)2/SiO4] - fluor containing aluminum silicate
Refractive Index (RI) : 1.609 - 1.643
Density : 2.49 - 3.57
Birthstones :
Topaz (Yellow/Golden) is the birthstone for November.
Blue topaz (natural or treated) is the birthstone for December.
Topaz is the zodiac stone for the sign of Sagittarius.
Topaz is the ayurvedic birthstone for November.
Blue topaz is the stone for the 4th anniversary
Topaz is the stone for the 23rd anniversary
Comments : The history of topaz is a long and ancient one and the gem has long been used as an ornament and jewelry stone. The name "Topaz" is thought to come from the name of an island in the
Red Sea formerly called Topazos but now Zebirget. Topaz was mined here on this island. Another possible origin of the name Topaz is that it comes from the Sanskrit word "tapas" which means "fire" or "heat". This could be due to the yellow/red colour that topaz sometimes occurs in.
Many people believe that topaz comes only in yellow and this is true, it does come in yellow. However fancy colors like yellow, reds, oranges and pinks are actually quite rare, so is the very beautiful natural blue.
My personal thoughts on why yellow has become closely associate with topaz, in the same way that blue is associated with sapphire, is that in historical times the technology or ability to differentiate between types of stones was very limited. Yellow quartz, now known as Citrine, is quite common in many parts of the world and I believe that alot of yellow topaz was actually yellow quartz. Today we have the ability to tell the difference between the various types of stones but one still has to be cautious in the marketplace and buy from a reputable dealer as there is still the potential for confusion.
Topaz makes an ideal jewelry stone as it is hard and very durable. It cuts well into brilliant designs and becomes a gem that has lots of scintillation and "fire". If I was pushed to pick a personal favorite of all the gemstones, I would probably have to give natural blue topaz the nod.
It is a stone that I love to cut and the colour, though soft, is divine. Truly it is! The soft blue colour is for me, the most elegant of blues, soft and delicate, sometimes ethereal, sometimes icy like the blue in an arctic iceberg. It is cooling on a hot day, fresh and light and always cheery and pleasing. Each stone is unique in its coloring, some have more blue, some less. The colour is easily as beautiful as aquamarine and in truth, far better then the vast majority of aquamarine that is in the marketplace.
Sadly, with the advent of modern gemstone treatment technology, natural blue topaz has taken an undeserved fall from popularity. Irradiation and heating is now routinely used to change the clear silvery white topaz into a uniform array of vivid treated blues. These stones have the trade names of london blue, electric blue, swiss blue and sky blue. The colour is the same for each category and this is the material that you see in jewelry stores across the land. It is cheap and plentiful whereas the natural blues are scarce and relatively expensive. This sudden mass explosion of treated blues dealt the natural blues a blow and that is sad, for these natural blues are easily one of the most beautiful gems in the world of coloured gemstones. Blue sapphires might be the Queen of Gems, but if there is a Princess of Gems, she would be a natural blue topaz.
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